


He'll Come Around

by Spazzo47



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode 1, F/M, newsroom fanfic challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 03:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8516266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spazzo47/pseuds/Spazzo47
Summary: From LilacMermaid's Newsroom Fanfic Challenge for November, "What if Charlie never offered Mackenzie the job of executive producer in 2010?"





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic challenge, and I'm not sure how to link to lilacmermaid's challenge.

Mac celebrated her first --  hole in one, or, strike, whatever it is when you knock over all of the pins with one ball roll – she didn’t know what it was, but the last tiem this happened she was a little girl and she still believed that if she could do it once, she should be able to do it 10 times in a row.  And now that one of the regulars showed her the secret of flexing her wrist, she was sure she’d be recruited to play professionally any day now.  She went back to her table to wait for her next frame and heard her phone.  She usually doesn’t answer it while playing, but it was a call from Jim, she owed it to him to take it. 

“Hey Mac, it’s Jim.  Look, I got a couple tips about an oil tanker that just exploded and I need to find someone that will cover the story.”

“Don’t you work for a cable news channel?”

“I do, but they don’t want to follow up on these leads because they don’t believe me.  So do you know someone that would follow up?”

Mac thought about it for a second, noticing that it was her turn to bowl.  “You mean do I know any journalists who still think I have integrity?”

“They don’t question your integrity –“

“Just my judgement and ability.” 

Jim heard her exhale, a good sign that she was pulling herself together and thinking about his request.  He wondered where she was as he listened to bowling balls being thrown down alleys.  “Mac, where are you?  Are you okay?”

“I’m bowling, Jim.  I’m starting to get good.  I just learned how to flex my wrist.”

Jim was more concerned about her than he let on.  “It’s a good skill to have.”

“OK, I’m going to give you a number.  He’ll tell you he won’t do the story, but he will.  He’s stubborn, not stupid.  Keep my name out of the call or he’ll hang up on you.  ”

Mac gave him the information he needed.  Before they hung up, Mac said, “If you think he really won’t look into it, tell him that he’s better than the shit he’s doing now.  Use those words, Jim.  He’s better than the shit he’s doing.”

“Should I ask why insulting him is going to work in my favor?”

“Deep down he knows that’s true.  You’re just going to remind him.”

“Okay, thanks Mac.  And Mac, you’re better than anyone is giving you credit for too.”

Mac gave a derisive chuckle.  “Thanks, Jim.”

*** *** ***

Will screamed out his office door for Don who came over.  “You bellowed?”

“Keefer, what the hell are you thinking about with this rundown?  Is there any actual news to cover?”

“It’s a slow day!”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”  Will looked out his door and saw Charlie.  “Go on out there and find me something to report.  I need to talk to Charlie.”  After Charlie and Don switched places, Will said, “So what did you make the trip all the way down here for?”

“Can’t the president of the News Division visit his flagship show without an invite?”

“Usually, yes, but when it comes to you, well, I know how much you like your 3:00 bourbon.  And your 3:30 glass.”

“Will, I’m here to see what the morale is like.  At the request of several staff members.”

“What are you talking about, morale here is great.  We’re like a well-oiled machine.”  Will’s phone rang and he looked at it.  “I don’t know this number.”

“Go ahead and take it.”

“Bourbon’s right there.”  Will answered the phone, “McAvoy.”

“Hi Will, you don’t know me, but I’m a senior producer at CNN and I have some information for you about the Oil rig that just exploded.”

“You have a scoop and you’re not using at your own network?”

“Well, it’s potentially libelous, but it’s good information and it needs to be reported.”

Will was less impressed by the second.  “So you’re giving a potentially libelous story to a competitor because your own network won’t believe you.”

“Look Will, I know you don’t have any reason to believe me –“

“You’re right, I don’t.  I don’t even know your name!”

“Jim, Jim Harper.”

“What?”

“Jim Harper, that’s my name.”

“Good to meet you, Jim Harper, now why the fuck do you think I will care anymore about your lead than your own network would?”

“Because you are better than the shit you’re doing.”

Will stopped for a second.  “Mac?  Did Mackenzie McHale put you up to this?  Tell her to fuck off.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait.  Will.  Don’t hang up.  I can’t confirm or deny that it was Mac.  But, just take this down.”  Jim thought it was a good sign that Will didn’t hung up until after all his information got out.  “Thanks Will.”

Will hung up the phone and looked at Charlie.  “What was that all about?”

“Some nutjob wants me to follow up on a lead he has.  Says he works for CNN and they won’t follow up.”

“And your ex-girlfriend?”  Will shot him a look.  “I heard you use her name.”

“He wouldn’t confirm she told him to call, but it was her.  Told me I’m above the shit I’m doing.”

“She knows you pretty well.”

Will yelled out his door.  “Keefer!  Get over here.”  Don reluctantly left his current task and stalked back to Will’s office.  “I want you to follow up on these tips.  I just want to know if there’s anything there.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.”  As Don walked out, he shot a look at Charlie who nodded his head subtly. 

“Who the fuck does she think she is?  Does she think she can get back in my life with a tip?”

Charlie sat back in his chair.  “Maybe she just had a tip and didn’t know anyone else who would follow up.”

“And she just thinks that I’ll drop everything to follow up because she deigns to tell me about it.” Charlie held back his laugh since that’s exactly what he did.  “I’ll tell you, I kicked her out of my life and I don’t ever what to see her again.”  Charlie nodded his head silently.  “I don’t need her or her tips.  She’s dead to me.”  Will stalked back to his door.  “Keefer!  Have we heard anything back?”

Don walked back to Will’s office, unable to hide his frustration, not that he expected Will to notice.  “I just assigned it out to Gary and Kendra.”

“Who?”

“It’s being looked into.  Give us at least 5 minutes.  Charlie, can I see you a second.”

Charlie and Don left the office, leaving Will to stare blankly at his script.  The tips checked out and Will rewrote his script for the broadcast.  It was finished just before the broadcast.  The broadcast was rough.  Don did what he could to cover the errors in the control room.  At the end of the broadcast, everyone was exhausted.  Don went around to the crew thanking them for a good show.  Will went back to his office and after changing left as soon as he could to meet Charlie at a bar down the street.  It wasn’t a bar with cheap food and karaoke, it was a little classier.  He found Charlie immediately. 

“Will, great broadcast.  You did a really good job with the tips you got at the last minute.”

“Yeah.”

“Will, we need to talk.  I’m going to give Elliot his own show.   He’s taking Don and some of the staff in a couple weeks.”

“You’re taking my EP?  How can you do this to me, Charlie?”

“He’s not getting out of you what you can do.”

Will scoffed.  “And you think there’s someone who can.”

“I’m sure there is and I’m going to find that person.”

“Well, good luck.”  Will got up and left.  Why was everyone turning on him?

Charlie looked at the corner of the bar and a woman came out of the shadows.  “He’s going to hate you, Charlie.”

“It’ll pass.”

“He’s going to hate me.  He already hates me.  I can’t blame him.”

“Believe me, Mac, he’s going to come around.  It only took him thinking that you had something to do with that tip to make him pursue it.  He wants to impress you.  We’re going to give him a chance to, for the next three years.”

“Do you really think we can get away with this?”

“I’m putting an executive producer with a unique ability to get the best out of a news anchor with a unique ability.  It’ll be awkward for a little while, but if I didn’t believe in this, I wouldn’t have brought you to New York.  Do you believe in him?”

“Always have, always will.”

“I’ll get a contract to you in the morning.”

Charlie and Mac clinked glasses. 


End file.
